NEW ‘NAVY MAYOR’ OF SAN DIEGO DUE IN JULY

The Pentagon announced Thursday that Rear Adm. Dixon R. Smith, current commander of the Navy’s Southwest region, will be transferring to do a similar job based in Norfolk, Va.

The job that Smith holds is unofficially known as the Navy mayor of San Diego because the person oversees all Navy properties in California, plus those in five nearby states.

His office is in the Navy complex at Broadway and Harbor Drive on the downtown waterfront.

The incoming commander is Rear Adm. Patrick J. Lorge, currently serving as commandant of Naval District Washington in Washington, D.C.

The change of command ceremony is scheduled for July 2 at the USS Midway Museum.

Smith was raised in Green’s Farms, Conn., until entering the Naval Academy Preparatory School in 1978. He received his commission from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1983.

Lorge is a New Jersey native who graduated from the academy in 1981. An aviator, he flew F-14 Tomcats and eventually led VFA-25, a fighter squadron from Lemoore in the Central Valley. During his career Lorge also commanded Virginia’s Oceana Naval Air Station.

Smith will have served in the job for 19 months, a little shorter than usual for a region or base commanding officer. More typical is two to three years. A spokesman said length of service in a job varies based on the Navy’s needs.